Someone I met last week at a cruise night just purchased a Jewel Blue 61 on Ebay. The seller told him it was a #'s matching engine. He stopped by my store the other day and asked if I would look at it. The casting # is correct for a very late 61, but his was built in March.
These are the numbers:
Casting - 3789935
Date Code- A-8-3
Pad Stamp - 0212938T61F
What puzzles me is the fact that Chevy by the Numbers by Colvin states that the casting number was only used in 61 but the casting date is 63. :confused:
Any ideas?


[Modified by plaidside, 7:07 PM 6/12/2002]

 

A late 61 engine could appear in an early 62 (left over parts). have no idea about the date code?? Very interesting!!

 

Hmmmmm, I am even more confused by the "F" stamping on the pad. According to my book an F code was a 265 ci passenger/truck engine in 55 & 56 and a 283 ci in 57, then it was listed as a 348 ci 250 hp engine for passenger cars in 58-61. Obviously the block casting code takes precedence... :confused:

 

> Casting - 3789935

> Date Code- A-8-3

> Pad Stamp - 0212938T61F

> What puzzles me is the fact that Chevy by the Numbers by Colvin states that the casting number was only used in 61 but the casting date is 63.

My reference says the casting 3789935 was used in cars and trucks from 1961 to 1964 (incl very late 61 Vette).

Pad stamp is 0212938 T61F

You didn't state the vehicle serial number, which might help. Because the method of stamping Corvette engines (in Flint, MI plant) changed after 1956 and later during 1960, there are several ways to read the stamped numbers.

I'm no expert, but I think the engine appears to have been stamped in the manner of early Corvette engines of 1954 to 1956 vintage. If this is so, the engine says it is sequential engine number 0212938 assembled in Tonawanda as a 1961 engine for a powerglide vehicle. Corvette engines were assembled in Flint, so this is not a Corvette engine and it's stamp doesn't jive with the 1963 casting date. My guess is that the Tonawanda plant didn't alter it's stamping format at the same time that Flint did, and that this is an engine cast in 1963 but intended as a replacement for a 1961 vehicle.

If it were stamped like later Corvette engines (1960-67), then the first part of the pad stamp "0212938" should start with "01" if it was a Corvette engine, not "02", and should end with the last 5 digits of the VIN.

The "T" likely says it's a Tonawanda engine (Vette engines were assembled in Flint, and if it WERE for a Corvette that sequence should end with a 2-letter code starting with "C" or "D".

Doesn't appear to be an original Corvette engine, was either a 1963 engine stamped to go in a 1961 vehicle as a replacement, or an engine cast in January but not assembled until June 1963 (unlikely, but perhaps possible).

 

Small Block Chevy by Vizard says the 3789935 is a 283 truck and pass from 62 to 64, which agrees with the casting date and stamp but not the car. The nice thing about pickup truck engines is that they come with "rams horn" exhaust manifolds too - since the engine is farther back - like a Corvette.

Numbers :lol: :lol: :lol: match :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

The pad stamp isn't in ANY production engine format - it's a rebuilder's code. It's a January '63 block that's been rebuilt and decked since then.